Mail box



July 20, 1954 M. P BABCOCK MAIL BOX Filed Feb. 5, 1953 MR m MN 5m R. e m r w M BY WWW 3% ill Patented July 20, i954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAIL BOX Maurice P. Babcock, Springfield, S. Dak.

Application February 5, 1953, Serial No. 335,352

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a mail box and more particularly to the type of mail box used and approved for rural delivery.

When delivering mail in rural communities the postman is prone to drive his delivery vehicle as close as possible to the mail box. Then, the door is opened and the mail is deposited within the casing of the mail box. Present mail boxes for rural use are so constructed with doors of such size that the postman must park his vehicle at a considerable distance from the mail box to permit the mail box to be satisfactorily opened without scratching or touching the delivery vehicle. It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide means for supporting the door forming the closure of the mail box in such a manner that a relatively small clearance is needed for opening the mail box by lifting the door.

It is another important object of the invention to provide an indicator flag actuated by movement of the door to indicate whether or not the mailman has stopped and removed any letters or other mail from the mail box; the mailman lowering the flag when opening the box.

Still further objects and features of the invention reside in the provision of a mail box that is strong and durable, of satisfactory size to comply with existing postal specifications, which is simple in construction and manufacture, and capable of being produced at a relatively low cost.

It is intended that various existing mail boxes be modified to conform to the concept of this invention with a minimum of materials and labor.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this mail box, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mail box comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as taken along the longitudinal axis of the mail box showing the door forming the closure in an open position;

Figure 3 is a partial top plan view of the mail box showing the construction of the hinge elements in detail;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail illustrating the construction of the indicator flag actuating mechanism; and,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the mounting bracket for the flag indicator.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral l0 generally designates the mail box comprising the present invention which includes a casing l2 which may be of conventional design on which the door l4 forming the closure is adapted to be hingedly secured.

Secured to the side walls of the casing [2 are hinge brackets l6 and I8. Pivotally attached by means of pins 20 and 22 to the hinge brackets l6 and 18 are hinge rods 24 and 26 integrally formed with a rigidifying central connection portion 28 journalled for pivoting movement as at 30 to the bottom of the door l4. Thus, the hinge rods 24 and 26 which extend upwardly and rearwardly of the bottom of the door l4 provide means for pivotally mounting the door l4 relative to the casing l2. The outermost position of the door M will be determined by the radius of the circle or are described by the hinge rods 24 and 26. This substantially reduces the amount of space necessary for opening the door 14 when compared to conventional mounting means. There is further associated with the door I A a pair of hinge leaves. One of the hinge leaves as at 32 is mounted on the door l4 and the other hinge leaf 34 is mounted rearwardly of the hinge leaf 32 on the casing l2. An upper hinge element 36 formed optionally from rod-like material in the shape of a loop is provided with end portions as at 38 and 40 which are pivotally engaged with in the leaves 32 and 34. Spaced interconnecting side portions 42 and M join the end portions 38 and 40 to form the element 36. The element 36 together with the hinge leaves 32 and 34 provide means for preventing the top of the door [4 from falling downwardly and also providing means for hingedly mounting the top of the door M. Further, since the door I 4 when raised will rotate the element 36 more than or past top dead center it will lock the door H! in an open posi tion.

The door l4 carries a lug 46 which is riveted, welded, or otherwise secured to the door '14 and which extends rearwardly therefrom. The lug 46 is adapted to engage the detent 48 mounted on an indicator flag 56. The indicator flag 50 is rotatably mounted on a pin 52 carried by a bracket 54; the bracket 54 being provided with a central outwardly extending portion 56 and a pair of inwardly spaced securing flanges 58 and 6D. The securing flange 58 is of a substantially reduced height when compared to the portion 46 and the flange 60 in order that when the door is raised and the lug 46 strikes the detent 4B the indicator flag 50 may readily be rotated downwardly, the indicator flag pivoting about the pin 52 and finally resting upon the upper surface as at 62 of the flange 58.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this mail box are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification-and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable mcdifica-- tions and equivalents may be readily resorted to that fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A mailbox comprising an elongated casing having an open forward end, side and top walls, a domr' for said. casing normally closing said forward end, said door including a vertical front portion and integral side and top wall portions, a pair of side hinge brackets secured to said side walls or said casing, said front portion terminating. at its lower edge in a tubular part, a U- shaped hinge member having a central portion pivotally received in said tubular part, terminal ends of said hinge U-shaped member being pivotai y secured to said hinge bracket, a first hinge leaf secured to said top wall portion in overlying relation thereto, a second: hinge leaf secured to said'top -w-al'l of said casing rearwardly of said open end, said first and second hinge leaves being longitudinally aligned, a second hinge member pivotally secured to said first hinge leaf and said second. hingeleaf, said second hinge member being in the form of a loop including end pieces journtaled insaid first and second hinge leaves,

said end pieces being interconnected by elongated side pieces, said loop directly overlying said casing top wall when said door is in a fully open position and locking said door in an open position, a mounting bracket secured to one of said side walls immediately adjacent said open end, an indicator flap pivotally mounted on said bracket, a detent secured to and extending norrnalv to said indicator flag,- said, bracket includin a pin, said indicator flag being rotatably mounted on said pin, said bracket including an outwardly extending portion and a pair of inwardly spaced securing flanges, said flanges being attached to said casing, said indicator flag being received between said outwardly extending portion and said casing, one of said flanges being of lesser height than the other of said flanges to provide a seat for said flag when said flag is in a lowered position, said indicator flag having a lower portion of reduced width disposed between said flanges and. normally in abutment with said other flange, said other flange retaining said flag in an upright position, said pin passing through an elongated vertical slot in said lower portion of said flag and permitting vertical movement of said. flag to move said lower portion of said flag out of en agement with said other flange, and an actuating lug secured to said door, said actuating lug underlying said detent and. engaging the lower edge of said; lug whereby said flag is initiallylitted in response to upward opening mov ement of said door.

Eteierences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,521,397 Scott Dec. 30, 1924 1,792,821 Cook Feb. 17, 1931 2,505,309 Sprick Apr. 25, 1950 2,578,486 Pedersen Dec. 11, 1951 

